Mariah Carey, Garth Brooks and More of the Bestselling Grammy Winners of All Time
The 63rd Grammy Awards take place on March 14, honoring this year’s top musical artists. These stars shine bright, but many of their predecessors have set the bar high in terms of album sales.
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Winning a Grammy is a huge career achievement, but so is selling tens — or hundreds — of millions of albums. Over the past several decades, only a relatively small group of musicians have made it into this elite club, showcasing just how difficult it is to gain entry.
GOBankingRates conducted a study to find out which Grammy winners are the bestselling artists of all time — and some names might surprise you.
Drumroll please — here are the 30 bestselling Grammy winners of all time.
Last updated: March 9, 2021
30. Taylor Swift
Certified units sold (RIAA): 46 million
Grammy wins: 10
Grammy nominations: 41
She’s all grown up now, but Taylor Swift landed her first Top 40 hit “Tim McGraw” — a song from her 2006 eponymous album — when she was just 16 years old.
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28. (tie) Eminem
Certified units sold (RIAA): 46.5 million
Grammy wins: 15
Grammy nominations: 44
Otherwise known as Marshall Mathers III, Eminem landed his first No. 1 hit in 2002 with “Lose Yourself,” a track from the “8 Mile” soundtrack.
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28. (tie) Alabama
Certified units sold (RIAA): 46.5 million
Grammy wins: 2
Grammy nominations: 13
Composed of cousins Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook, Alabama has scored 21 No. 1 hits since they started rocking the country music scene 40 years ago.
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27. Kenny Rogers
Certified units sold (RIAA): 47.5 million
Grammy wins: 3
Grammy nominations: 19
Country music superstar Kenny Rogers enjoyed an illustrious career that spanned more than six decades. Known for hits like “The Gambler,” “Islands in the Stream” and “Lucille,” he passed away on March 20, 2020.
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25. (tie) Shania Twain
Certified units sold (RIAA): 48 million
Grammy wins: 5
Grammy nominations: 18
Canadian crooner Shania Twain is best known for hits like “Any Man of Mine,” “You’re Still the One” and “That Don’t Impress Me Much.” Originally a country star, her successful crossover to pop charts has been credited for paving the way for the next generation of artists who don’t necessarily fit into a genre-specific box — i.e., Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Maren Morris.
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25. (tie) Kenny G
Certified units sold (RIAA): 48 million
Grammy wins: 1
Grammy nominations: 17
Likely the world’s most famous saxophone player, Kenny G won his sole Grammy in 1993 for best instrumental composition on his song “Forever in Love.”
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24. Neil Diamond
Certified units sold (RIAA): 49.5 million
Grammy wins: 1
Grammy nominations: 13
He’s been churning out hits for decades, but Neil Diamond is probably best known for his 1969 classic “Sweet Caroline.”
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23. Celine Dion
Certified units sold (RIAA): 50 million
Grammy wins: 5
Grammy nominations: 16
She has too many hits to count, but Canadian superstar Celine Dion is the powerful voice behind songs like “The Power of Love,” “Because You Loved Me” and “My Heart Will Go On.”
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22. U2
Certified units sold (RIAA): 51 million
Grammy wins: 22
Grammy nominations: 46
They formed U2 as teenagers in the ‘70s, and Irish rockers Bono, Larry Mullen Jr., Adam Clayton and The Edge are still going strong. Some of their top hits include “With or Without You,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and “Desire.”
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21. Fleetwood Mac
Certified units sold (RIAA): 54.5 million
Grammy wins: 2
Grammy nominations: 7
Established in London more than 50 years ago — 1967 to be exact — Fleetwood Mac’s current members include Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, John McVie and Stevie Nicks. Two of the group’s albums — “Fleetwood Mac” and “Rumours” — have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
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20. Van Halen
Certified units sold (RIAA): 56.5 million
Grammy wins: 1
Grammy nominations: 3
Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, Van Halen formed in the late ‘70s and consisted of Eddie Van Halen, Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth and Sammy Hager. Sadly, Eddie Van Halen passed away on Oct. 6, 2020.
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19. Whitney Houston
Certified units sold (RIAA): 60 million
Grammy wins: 6
Grammy nominations: 25
Iconic singer Whitney Houston scored 11 No. 1 hits, including “I Will Always Love You,” “How Will I Know” and “I’m Your Baby Tonight.” Tragically, she passed away on Feb. 11, 2012.
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18. Metallica
Certified units sold (RIAA): 63 million
Grammy wins: 8
Grammy nominations: 18
Rocking out since 1981, Metallica consists of Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield, Robert Trujillo and Lars Ulrich. The group has six No. 1 albums, including “Metallica,” “Load” and “ReLoad.”
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17. Madonna
Certified units sold (RIAA): 64.5 million
Grammy wins: 7
Grammy nominations: 28
In a league of her own, Madonna is a pop idol who will never go out of style. Some of her most notorious hits include “Like a Virgin,” “Material Girl” and “Papa Don’t Preach.”
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16. Bruce Springsteen
Certified units sold (RIAA): 65.5 million
Grammy wins: 20
Grammy nominations: 50
Affectionally referred to as “the Boss” by fans, Bruce Springsteen has 11 No. 1 albums, including “Born in the U.S.A.,” “The River” and “High Hopes.”
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13. (tie) The Rolling Stones
Certified units sold (RIAA): 66.5 million
Grammy wins: 3
Grammy nominations: 12
Established in 1962, British rockers Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood are true music legends. Some of their top hits include “Out of Our Heads,” “Tattoo You” and “Goats Head Soup.”
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13. (tie) Mariah Carey
Certified units sold (RIAA): 66.5 million
Grammy wins: 5
Grammy nominations: 34
Pop icon Mariah Carey has scored 19 No. 1 hits, including “We Belong Together, “Always Be My Baby” and “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”
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13. (tie) Aerosmith
Certified units sold (RIAA): 66.5 million
Grammy wins: 4
Grammy nominations: 14
Established in 1970, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Cramer are Aerosmith. Still touring, some of their most celebrated songs include “Janie’s Got a Gun,” “Livin’ On the Edge,” “Crazy” and “Pink.”
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12. Barbra Streisand
Certified units sold (RIAA): 68.5 million
Grammy wins: 8
Grammy nominations: 46
The only recording artist or group to achieve No. 1 albums in six consecutive decades, Barbra Streisand is an absolute legend. She’s also won two Oscars and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2015.
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11. George Strait
Certified units sold (RIAA): 69 million
Grammy wins: 1
Grammy nominations: 16
Known as the “King of Country Music,” George Strait has scored 60 No. 1 singles during his more than 30-year career. He won the Grammy for best country album in 2008 for “Troubadour.”
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9. (tie) Pink Floyd
Certified units sold (RIAA): 75 million
Grammy wins: 1
Grammy nominations: 4
Formed in the early ‘60s by British teenagers Roger ‘Syd’ Barrett, Roger Waters and David Gilmour, Pink Floyd is one of the most iconic rock bands in history. The group won the Grammy for best rock instrumental performance in 1994 for their song “Marooned.”
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9. (tie) AC/DC
Certified units sold (RIAA): 75 million
Grammy wins: 1
Grammy nominations: 7
In 2009, AC/DC won their sole Grammy in 2009 for best hard rock performance for the song “War Machine.” Members have come and gone throughout the years, but in 2020, the group announced Brian Johnson, Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd would return for a reunion alongside Angus Young and Stevie Young.
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8. Elton John
Certified units sold (RIAA): 79 million
Grammy wins: 5
Grammy nominations: 34
One of the most iconic artists of all time, Elton John released his self-titled debut album in 1970. Some of his greatest hits include “Tiny Dancer,” “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going To Be a Long Time)” and “Crocodile Rock.”
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7. Billy Joel
Certified units sold (RIAA): 84.5 million
Grammy wins: 5
Grammy nominations: 23
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, Billy Joel’s talent is second-to-none. Known for hits like “Uptown Girl” and “Piano Man,” he won the Grammy Legend Award in 1991.
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6. Michael Jackson
Certified units sold (RIAA): 85 million
Grammy wins: 13
Grammy nominations: 38
He rose to fame as a child in his family’s band the Jackson Five, and Michael Jackson later found massive success as a solo artist. He passed away on June 25, 2009, with a slew of hits to his name, including “Billie Jean,” “Rock With You” and “Beat It.”
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5. Led Zeppelin
Certified units sold (RIAA): 111.5 million
Grammy wins: 1
Grammy nominations: 3
In the late ‘60s, Jimmy Page, Peter Grant, John Bonham and John Paul Jones brought Led Zeppelin to life in a London basement. The “Stairway to Heaven” rockers won the Grammy for best rock album in 2013 for “Celebration Day.”
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4. Eagles
Certified units sold (RIAA): 120 million
Grammy wins: 6
Grammy nominations: 18
Founded in 1971, the Eagles are Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner, Don Felder, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit and Glenn Frey — who passed away on Jan. 18, 2016. The group is known for classic hits like “Take It Easy,” “Hotel California” and “Lyin’ Eyes.”
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3. Elvis Presley
Certified units sold (RIAA): 139 million
Grammy wins: 3
Grammy nominations: 14
The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1971. He passed away on Aug. 16, 1977, after creating countless hits like “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Don’t Be Cruel.”
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2. Garth Brooks
Certified units sold (RIAA): 157 million
Grammy wins: 2
Grammy nominations: 14
The top-selling solo artist in U.S. history, Garth Brooks is known for songs like “The Thunder Rolls,” “Friends in Low Places” and “Ain’t Goin’ Down Till the Sun Comes Up.”
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1. The Beatles
Certified units sold (RIAA): 183 million
Grammy wins: 7
Grammy nominations: 23
In 1960, George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr formed the Beatles and the rest is history. Some of the group’s most notorious hits include “Let It Be,” “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” and “A Hard Day’s Night.”
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Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates looked at data from the Recording Industry of America (RIAA) to find the bestselling artists of all time. GOBankingRates then cross referenced the RIAA’s highest-selling artists with the Recording Academy’s database of Grammy winners to find which bestselling artists had at least one Grammy win.
For each artist included, GOBankingRates found: (1) total certified units sold as sourced from the RIAA; (2) number of Grammy wins; and (3) Grammy nominations. All data was collected on and up to date as of Feb. 18, 2021.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Mariah Carey, Garth Brooks and More of the Bestselling Grammy Winners of All Time
